Literally translate to "Gentle Arts" in Japanese. In theory created more than 2000 years before Christ in India, by a monk who did not have a weapon to defeat themselves from barbarian attacks. The influences spread to China and eventually had taken root to Japan. The arts were elaborated and used in the Samurai Era to be the first martial arts ever known in Japan. This traditional arts involved in striking, throwing, or grappling. Hence the disciple of karate, judo, and aikido.

Arguably the most influential person in history of jiu-jitsu is Mitsuyo "Esai" Maeda

Jiu Jitsu is a grappling sport that uses chokes and locks. NOT kicks or punches like in UFC, or MMA. You can use wrestling takedowns or judo throws to takedown your opponent. Its the shit when compared to other martial arts, because most of the other guys know how to fight standing up, but when a jits guy takes your ass down, you dont know what to do when it happens.

The martial art that uses the least amount of effort to cause the most amount of pain. It is one of the best forms of self defense as it is as effective from someone not as physically capable as someone who is in prime condition. It is the great leveler because your little sister could bring you to tears quicker than that bouncer that muscled you out of the club last week. The only art that is really worth a damn.

Mostly a name for modern practical self-defense systems, which are founded after WWII in western countries as a combination of Judo, Karate and Aikido, specialized to use it against modern day attacks. Synonymous words like Jujitsu, Ju-Jitsu or Ju-Jutsu are widely used.
Also name of a combination of western boxing and wrestling with self-defense "tricks", brought from Japan to Europe and the US around 1900 to 1920. In later years often practiced as a companion to judo or as "judo self-defense" until the modern systems were founded. This Jiu-Jitsu often was presented in film, e.g. in the Mr. Moto movies (starring Peter Lorre).
Self-defense arts called Jiu-Jitsu should not be mistaken with ancient Japanese Jujutsu styles, which are traditional, classical bujutsu (martial skills) of the Japanese warriors (samurai) and are in fact koryu (ancient budo). They have not much in common with the Jiu-Jitsu we know.

(Japanese) Jiu Jitsu is most defenetly the best martial art there is. The objecitive is to weaken your opponent by kicking and punching. After that you throw him/her on the ground and choke or hold your opponent to make him/her give up.

Unlike karate you dont have to bow to every fucking thing in the room.